20S PYRUS I.IALUS 
disseminated by birds. The largest trees at the latter place are about thirty feet 
in height, and are said to preserve all the distinctive features of the species or 
race. The leaves are broadly ovate, rounded at the base, subangulate, smooth 
on the upper surface, and when fully developed, are distinctly toothed. While 
young, they have a bitter, and slightly aromatic taste; whence Michaux thinks 
that, with the addition of sugar, they would make an agreeable tea. The flow- 
ers, which put forth in March, April, and May, are white at first, and gradually 
change to a purplish hue before they fall. They are very large, and occur in 
corymbs, with smooth peduncles; and, during the blooming season, they per- 
fume the whole air with the scent of violets. The fruit is flatly cfrbiculate, from 
an inch to an inch and a half in diameter, of a yellowish-green when ripe, which 
occurs in September, and gradually becomes more yellow, and somewhat trans- 
lucent, with age. It is of a firm texture, extremely acid, and has sometimes 
been employed in the manufacture of cider, and in the making of preserves, with 
the addition of sugar equivalent to its own weight. Successful experiments have 
been made of uniting this tree, by grafting and budding, with the common apple ; 
but the time is so long in bringing it to perfection, that no particular advantage 
can be derived from such a union. It has been suggested, however, that new 
and valuable varieties might be obtained from seeds produced by fertilizing the 
flowers with the pollen of the vigorous-growing pippins, or those of the Siberian 
crabs. Setting aside all other considerations, this tree, from the beautiful char- 
acter of its leaves, the fragrance of its blossoms, together with the lateness of 
their appearance, and the deep-green, and depressed form of its fruit, is a most 
desirable object of culture, and no shrubbery should be without it. 
3. P. m. angustifolia. Narrow-leaved American Crab Apple-tree ; Pyrus 
angiislifolia, of De Candolle, Torrey and Gray, Loudon, and others. This 
variety is also a native of North America, is found from Pennsylvania to Louis- 
iana ; flowers in March and April ; and differs from the preceding race, in having 
narrower leaves, much smaller and narrower fruit, lead-coloured and speckled 
branches, and in being sub-evergreen, which last circumstance, together with 
its sweet-scented flowers, entitles it to a place in collections. 
4. P. m. prunifolta. The Plum-leaved Apple-tree or Siberian Crab ; Pyrus 
prunifolia, of De Candolle and Loudon, a native of Siberia; was introduced into 
Britain in 1758 ; and, according to Mr. Knight, some of the finest varieties raised by 
him were produced from cultivated apples fecundated with the blossoms of this tree. 
He found that the progeny formed more hardy trees than any other kinds, and that 
they produced earlier and more highly flavoured fruit. The leaves are ovate, 
acuminate, serrated, and glabrous; trie peduncles pubescent; the tube of the 
calyx glabrous ; the styles woolly at the base, and twice as long as the stamens. 
The fruit is sub-globose, of a yellowish colour, and of an austere taste. 
5. P. m. baccata. The Berry-like-fruited Apple-tree or Siberia?i Crab ; Pyrus 
baccala, of De Candolle and Loudon, native of Siberia and Dahuria, and only 
dirlers from the preceding sort in not having a persistent calyx. From this vari- 
ety originated the cultivated " Cherry Crab," a spreading tree, with drooping 
branches, bearing an abundance of fruit, about the size and colour of a large 
cherry. 
6. P. m. dioica. The Dioecious-sexed Apple-tree ; Pyrus dioica, of De Candolle 
and Loudon, occasionally cultivated in the gardens of Europe. Its leaves are 
oval, serrated, and tomentose beneath ; the flowers, in many instances, solitary ; 
the sexes dioecious by defect; the calyx tomentose; the petals linear, of the 
length of the sepals ; and the styles are glabrous. 
7. P. m. astracanica. The Astrachan Apple-tree ; Pyrus astracanica, of De 
Candolle and Loudon. This form is said to be indigenous about Astrachan. Its 
leaves are oval-obiong, acute, partially doubly serrated, pale beneath, where the 
